diff --git a/inteno-netmodes/files/etc/hotplug.d/iface/01-netmode-handler b/inteno-netmodes/files/etc/hotplug.d/iface/01-netmode-handler
index 96e833677..5917f7f18 100755
--- a/inteno-netmodes/files/etc/hotplug.d/iface/01-netmode-handler
+++ b/inteno-netmodes/files/etc/hotplug.d/iface/01-netmode-handler
@@ -48,14 +48,28 @@ is_inteno_macaddr()
 switch_mode() {
 	[ "$repeaterready" == "1" ] || return
 
-	defroute=$(ip r | grep default | awk '{print$3}')
-	ping -c 1 -W 1 $defroute >/dev/null 2>&1
-	uplinkmac=$(grep "$defroute" /proc/net/arp | awk '{print$4}')
-
-	# will be auto-configured if the uplink device is Inteno
-	is_inteno_macaddr $uplinkmac && return
+	# flush iptables in case the MASTER
+	# tries to configure us before
+	# firewall is disabled the proper way
+	iptables -F
 
 	ubus call leds set  '{"state" : "allflash"}'
+
+	local ret=0
+	# let netmode-conf up to 20 seconds before switching mode
+	for tm in 2 4 6 8; do
+		if [ -f /tmp/wificontrol.txt ]; then
+			ret=1
+			break
+		fi
+		sleep $tm
+	done
+
+	# let netmode-conf take over
+	[ $ret -eq 1 ] && return
+
+	# go head with switching mode
+	touch -f /tmp/switching_mode
 	echo "Switching to 'extender' mode" > /dev/console
 	uci -q set netmode.setup.curmode='repeater'
 	uci set netmode.setup.repeaterready=0
@@ -66,6 +80,7 @@ switch_mode() {
 	wifi reload nodat
 	ubus call router.network reload
 	ubus call leds set  '{"state" : "normal"}'
+	rm -f /tmp/switching_mode
 }
 
 test_ip() {
diff --git a/inteno-netmodes/files/etc/init.d/netmode b/inteno-netmodes/files/etc/init.d/netmode
index cdb629600..f0fe65db4 100755
--- a/inteno-netmodes/files/etc/init.d/netmode
+++ b/inteno-netmodes/files/etc/init.d/netmode
@@ -207,13 +207,16 @@ switch_netmode() {
 }
 
 start_client_listener() {
-	local curmode repeaterready
-	config_load netmode
+	local curmode repeaterready ulcpid
 
+	config_load netmode
 	config_get repeaterready setup repeaterready 0
 
+	ulcpid=$(ps | grep "ubus listen client" | grep -v grep | awk '{print$1}')
+
 	[ $repeaterready -eq 1 ] && {
 		killall -SIGKILL netmode-client-detect >/dev/null 2>&1
+		kill -9 $ulcpid >/dev/null 2>&1
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -222,6 +225,7 @@ start_client_listener() {
 	case "$curmode" in
 		repeater*)
 			killall -SIGKILL netmode-client-detect >/dev/null 2>&1
+			kill -9 $ulcpid >/dev/null 2>&1
 		;;
 		*)
 			pidof netmode-client-detect || /sbin/netmode-client-detect &
diff --git a/inteno-netmodes/files/sbin/netmode-conf b/inteno-netmodes/files/sbin/netmode-conf
index e00463a8f..0c7f0e719 100755
--- a/inteno-netmodes/files/sbin/netmode-conf
+++ b/inteno-netmodes/files/sbin/netmode-conf
@@ -108,9 +108,16 @@ backup() {
 file="$1"
 from_gui="$2"
 
-
 [ -f "$file" ] || exit
 
+# let netmode-handler up to 20 seconds to finish switching mode
+for tm in 2 4 6 8; do
+	if [ ! -f /tmp/switching_mode ]; then
+		break
+	fi
+	sleep $tm
+done
+
 [ "$from_gui" == "true" ] && backup
 
 json_load "`cat $file`"